A Last Kiss
by Rabid Chibi Squirrels Inc
Summary: I have no regrets, so kiss me now, for it may be my last . . . KxD


_**Kitsune: Okay, I was inspired by deviations on (Where Art Meets Application. lol.) to write this. I hope you like this.**_

_**PS. I actually wrote the song at the end of the fanfic. It's called "In Your Arms." Let me know what you think of it.**_

-

**A Last Kiss**

**Summary****: I have no regrets, so kiss me now, for it will be my last . . .**

-

The blue-haired woman walked to the stairs, sighing as she climbed them. She didn't like the news she was to foretell, but someone had to do it. And as Dia's attendant, it was her duty to inform her of the news, as troubling as it was to her. Gina adjusted her glasses and put on a smile as she entered the upstairs room of the Sanatorium. Dia sat in a chair by the window. The dark-haired girl turned to look at her.

"Hello, Miss Dia," Gina said, taking a small bow of her head.

"Good morning, Gina," Dia said, quietly. She coughed slightly, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Her dark eyes showed no emotion. "Is something wrong? You look troubled."

_'How did she know?'_ Gina wondered, _'I must not be hiding it well. Oh, Miss Dia, if you could only understand how I feel about this whole thing.'_ Gina put on a little smile. "There's nothing wrong, Miss Dia. I was just downstairs. Mr. Gourmet had come in. He requested a meeting with the Doctor and Grandmother. It's . . . about you."

"Me?" Dia wondered, though she didn't look too concerned. She smoothed the wrinkles in the gold trimmings of her green dress. "What could he possibly want?"

Gina's smile became more helpless and strained. She shook her head. "I'm not sure, Miss Dia," she said, "But we'll find out."

-

Kurt sat at his workbench, resting his head on one hand while gazing out the window. His other hand worked with the least amount of effort, hammering a nail into a piece of wood half-heartedly. His thoughts were far from work.

"Uh, Kurt?" a far-off voice called. "Kurt? Are you with me?" A hand waved in front of his face, snapping his mind off a dark-haired figure.

"Hm?" Kurt asked, snapping his head around to give Joe a wide-eyed stare. "What?"

Joe gave his brother a questioning stare. "Are you okay, bro? You've been staring out the window, and you just hammered a hole in another piece of wood."

"What?" Kurt looked at the piece of wood he was working on. The nail had fallen through and dropped to the floor and there was a larger hole in the wood. Kurt sighed and tossed the broken, useless piece of wood into the pile behind him. "Sorry, I've just been thinking about things is all."

"Yeah, well, Woody isn't too happy about it. You've been slacking off," Joe said with a little pout. "You know that Woody favors your work more than mine because you worker harder than me, right?"

Kurt smiled at his brother. "You remember than you're younger than me, right?"

Joe gave a small smile. "Yeah." The smile disappeared. "But, seriously, where is your head these days?"

Kurt gave a stubborn glare. "Is it your head?"

"No, but—"

"Then you shouldn't worry about it," Kurt said. He turned back to his work. "Alright, quit bugging me. I've got work to do."

Joe pouted again. "If you're sure."

-

The rather portly gentleman opened the door to the Sanatorium and took off his hat to Gina, who was sitting at the main desk. "Good afternoon, Miss Gina," he said, proudly, "Is Miss Dia available today?"

Gina eyed him warily, but put on a smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gourmet. She's sleeping right now. I'm afraid she isn't quite ready for an outing yet."

"Ah, that's okay," Gourmet said, "I'm actually here to see the good Doctor and your grandmother about her."

Martha, the midwife and Gina's grandmother, walked out from another room. She nodded. "Yes, Mr. Gourmet. We are in here." Gourmet nodded, and with a wink to Gina, he made his way to Martha.

Gina shuddered. She glanced around her as the door to the other room shut and carefully got up and walked to it. She knelt down by the door to listen in on the conversation.

"Mr. Gourmet," the Doctor, Alex, said, "Nice to see you today."

"Very nice to see you, as well, Doctor," Gourmet said. Gina could hear the springs creak in the chair he was sitting in. "As you know, I'm here to know about Miss Dia's condition."

"Dia is still not well enough to leave the Sanatorium on her own," Alex stated, "She goes on walks every so often with Gina, but she never makes it past Mayor Theodore's house."

"I see . . ." Gourmet said. "I have a proposition for her that she may find quite interesting."

Gina listened more intently, heart pounding in dread. She knew Gourmet was one of the most hated people in the village. He believed that because he was wealthy and knew about good food that he knew the hearts of women and their inner most desires. Gourmet, in Gina's eyes, was merely a rich pervert.

"Miss Dia's condition is getting better, but at quite a slow rate," Gourmet said, "I can't help but wonder if the medications she is on are helping her improve."

"I frequently go to the mountains to find remedial herbs," Alex sounded defensive, irritated. "I am awaiting a much larger shipment of herbs to make potions."

"Please, Doctor, I had no intention of offending you," Gourmet said, but he didn't sound sorry at all. "I only meant that a much higher demand for more medicinal herbs is needed, am I correct?" From the silence, Gina could tell either Alex or Martha, or possibly both, were nodding. "Yes. Back in my hometown, our doctor treats illnesses such as Miss Dia's recurring sickness. I wondered if I may take her there to have her properly treated. There isn't exactly a Sanatorium, such as this, where she may stay, but I live right next door to the doctor. She may stay with me while she gets treated. The valley around there and all up in the mountains are filled with powerful, rare herbs that are used for medicine. And in exchange for the well-being of our dear Miss Dia, I'll personally ship you the herbs for your medicines.

"Of course, that's not all," Gourmet continued. "In addition to coming to my home, once she is in better health, I plan on making her my wife."

Gina held back a gasp. She had a feeling about this. Gina knew Gourmet had his grubby sights set on Dia. He visited often and left gifts. She scowled, a few tears slipping down her face. Dia was her friend. She wouldn't let Gourmet just take her. Needing time alone to herself, she left the Sanatorium to take a walk.

-

Later, when Gourmet had left, Gina returned. She noticed that the door to the meeting room was open. Gina walked inside. Alex was consoling Martha, who was weeping into her hands.

"What happened, Doctor?" Gina asked, concerned. Alex turned sorrowful eyes to her.

"Gourmet has offered to take Dia back to his hometown to treat her illnesses there," Alex said. He sighed and shook his head. "He then proposed to make Dia his wife when she gets better. He offered us medicine for her well-being, but we refused. Our treatments may be slow, but they're permanent and effective. I know Gourmet's reputation for taking women to bed; he prefers the weak and weak-willed. Dia's an obvious target. He persisted on taking her, but after I refused again, he threatened to run the Clinic and the Sanatorium out of business. I told him to just try it, but he threatened us by telling us to give Dia to him otherwise he'd close the Clinic." Alex shook his head, sorrowfully. "We had to accept."

"But, Doctor—" Gina was frantic.

"Don't, Gina," Alex said, "Without the Clinic, the villagers here would have to hike over the mountain and into the next two towns before getting to the Clinic there. It's too far away. Even going around the mountain . . . It'd take too long. We need to keep the Clinic running. I had to accept his terms." He rubbed Martha's back as she cried into his shoulder, now. "There, there, Martha. It'll be okay. Dia will be treated as soon as she arrives at the Clinic in Gourmet's hometown."

"She's too young, Doctor," Martha weeped, "She cannot possibly marry. She's too frail. And not to that monster!"

Gina left the room, wiping a few tears from her eyes. She gasped, trying to regain her breath. She glanced at the stairs. She ascended them with a grave expression. Dia was staring out the window, still.

Dia turned and stared into Gina's sorrowful face. She grew concerned now. "Gina . . . What's wrong?"

Gina smiled bitterly, staring at the floor. Her hands clenched her apron, shaking. "I apologise, Miss Dia," Gina trembled. "You will be restationed. You're no longer going to stay here at the Sanatorium."

"Where will I stay, then?" Dia trembled, now.

Gina gasped, slightly, turning her head back to the stairs as she caught another part of the conversation between Alex and Martha.

"When is she leaving, Doctor?"

"Gourmet's carriage is coming first thing in the morning," Alex replied, sighing.

Gina turned back to Dia and knelt down beside her, taking her hands. "Mr. Gourmet is taking you to his house, where you'll be treated by the town doctor. You'll be better off there." Gina's thumb was stroking the back of Dia's hand. "The medicine there is top-notch. You'll be cured."

Dia closed her eyes. "Gourmet wants to take me to wed." Gina nodded. Dia turned her head and stared out the window again. "Gina, my days are numbered. Even if I were to make it to his home, the medicines wouldn't work. They'd wear off and I would be worse off. I've resigned myself to this fate for a long time."

"Miss Dia, you're not saying—" Gina's head snapped up, eyes wide.

"I am. I'm too tired to fight anymore. I only want one more thing from this world, and I'll leave." Dia said no more. Gina nodded and stood. She gathered Dia for bed, laid the young woman down and turned off the light, going downstairs. That night, Gina cried herself to sleep.

-

Dia sat up in bed and got redressed. She glanced at the clock, which ticked off the seconds. She held in a cough, wrote a little note and left it on the nightstand, then descended the stairs. She glanced around the Sanatorium. Gina and Martha slept in the other room. A tear fell from her eye as she thought of leaving Gina. But it was for the best. She would never let Gourmet have her.

She left the Sanatorium and headed along the northern trail. She wondered why she was headed for the mines for only a split second. She stopped. It was dark ahead of her. A silhouette stood, staring at the mines. The clouds moved from in front of the full moon, letting its light spill across the land. The figure was revealled.

Spikey brown hair gelled straight up and a camoflauge bandana across his forehead to help keep his hair up. He turned and Dia found herself staring into thoughtful brown eyes. A curious expression came over Kurt's face.

"Dia?"

Dia approached. "Kurt," she stated. Dia was almost as tall as Kurt.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked, "You should be at the Sanatorium. Where's Gina?" Dia didn't answer. Kurt approached her more. "Gina's supposed to be with you. Where is she, Dia? Why are you out so late?"

Dia turned her head towards the ground and stared at the dirt with a half-lidded, sad expression. "I came to see you," she whispered.

Kurt's eyes widened. Nonetheless, he took Dia into his arms.

"Gourmet made a deal with the Doctor." Dia told him.

Kurt froze and looked at her. "Gourmet?"

Dia nodded. She tilted her head up towards his and he led her into a soft kiss under the moonlight. One hand supported her back to bring her closer. The other stroked her hair and supported her head. Her hands were bunched against his chest.

When she pulled away, Dia's eyes glittered with tears, but she smiled. "Thank you . . . Kurt . . . and . . . I'm sorry." With that, she fell limp in his arms. Kurt supported her, but shock registered in his mind more.

"Dia? Dia! Dia, wake up! Are you okay? Dia! Wake up, please!" Tears stung his eyes. _'No, Dia . . .' _**"DIA!"**

-

A funeral service for Dia was held the next morning. Gourmet was shocked when he hear the news, however, he quickly said his sorries and left. The entire village mourned. The one who took longest to grieve was Kurt, who had daydreamed about Dia the very morning on the day she died. He felt for her, and he was the only other one who offered consolance to her besides Gourmet.

Kurt bent down to place a Blue Mist Flower on Dia's grave. He knelt down. "Maybe it was fate that we met. I always felt a connection between us. And although I hardly ever saw you, I loved you. I wanted to comfort you in any way I could. I wish I could have done more."

Gina approached. "She said that there was one more thing left in the world that she wanted before she left." She stared at Kurt, who stared at Dia's grave with a stony face. Gina put her hand on Kurt's shoulder briefly before she left with Martha.

Kurt smiled, softly. "Was that it, Dia? You wanted me to know you cared, too?" A few tears fell from his eyes. "You knew you were going to die, so the last thing you wanted from this world was to let me know you loved me . . . I guess this is it, then. This is goodbye." He stood, bent over, and kissed the gravestone, then walked away with the wind to his back.

_I'm waiting, love_

_Saving my last breath for you_

_I wanna see your face_

_I wanna hear you say you love me too_

_Before I go_

_Just please promise me_

_I don't wanna be alone_

_Just please don't let me die_

_Alone_

_Hold me here in your arms_

_Hold me, keep me_

_Just please don't let me go_

_Don't wanna die alone_

_I'm right here inside your arms_

_My hero, my savior_

_Please don't let me go_

_Hold me in your arms_

_I don't wanna die alone_

_The bright light calls_

_But your voice is louder, a signal, a beacon home_

_The angels sing_

_You're with me wherever I roam_

_Before I go_

_Just please promise me_

_I don't wanna be alone_

_Just please don't let me die_

_Alone_

_Hold me here in your arms_

_Hold me, keep me_

_Just please don't let me go_

_Don't wanna die alone_

_I'm right here inside your arms_

_My hero, my savior_

_Please don't let me go_

_Hold me in your arms_

_I don't wanna die alone_

_This is the last chance that I'll get_

_To tell you what I wanna_

_Would it have been better if we'd never met?_

_Please don't make me die_

_Alone_

_Hold me here in your arms_

_Hold me, keep me_

_Just please don't let me go_

_Don't wanna die alone_

_I'm right here inside your arms_

_My hero, my savior_

_Please don't let me go_

_Hold me in your arms_

_I don't wanna die alone_

_Hold me here in your arms_

_Hold me, keep me_

_Just please don't let me go alone_

_Don't wanna die alone_

_I'm right here_

_I'm right_

_Here in your arms_

_My hero, my savior_

_Please don't let me go_

_Don't let me go_

_Hold me in your arms_

_I don't wanna die_

_Not being in your arms_

_I don't wanna die alone_

_-- In Your Arms_

_written by Kitsune_

_© Rabid Chibi Squirrels INC_


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